Touch
by reaper with no name
Summary: She hated it. BB/Rae


Touch. She hated it. Whenever that sensation reared its ugly head, it became much harder to keep her emotions in check. Especially when it involved HIM.

So she snapped at him. She forgot what she said exactly, but it was something about violating her personal space. Naturally, his first reaction was to put on that toothy grin of his and wag his eyebrows suggestively, making a lame joke implying that she was so attracted to him that she had difficulty controlling herself. It hit pretty close to home. So she put on her death glare, like she always did. It was like a routine; a play they put on every day for all the world to see.

And, like any good actor, Beast Boy had become his character. He immediately became fearful and apologetic. He had been thrown out of enough windows to know when her threats were serious. Raven felt a pang of remorse, but quickly squashed it down. Sure, he might not have meant to brush against her as he walked by, but he should have known better than to be that close to her in the first place. It took a great deal of self-control, but she managed to keep her voice monotone as she turned to leave and claimed she had to meditate. For once, she wasn't lying to him; she did need to. But at the same time, she wasn't being entirely truthful. And that was why it was hard.

She began floating toward the door. Once within the sanctity of her room, she could focus on dealing with that rogue emotion. She had to get over this infatuation of hers. She couldn't keep living this way. She suspected that he might have already noticed her staring at him on a few occasions. It was only a matter of time before he began to notice the subtle blushes. Perhaps worst of all, it was getting harder and harder to keep herself from doing stupid things around him.

Speaking of stupid things, she neglected to notice him coming until he had caught up with her and grabbed her hand. A light bulb exploded nearby, but went unnoticed. He was apologizing again, and this time she felt no fear from him; only genuine concern and guilt. Her face softened for just a moment, and she told him that she really didn't mind. Instantly she regretted it and wished she could kick herself. She had been too focused on the sensation of his hand touching hers to notice what she was saying. Beast Boy was in disbelief. He asked her if she meant that, but she was not about to get into this kind of conversation. She was angry at herself for slipping up like that, and that anger manifested in the first ways that came to mind: yelling and denial. Several plates in the sink shattered into a million pieces. The sudden change of tone and breaking plates caused Beast Boy to jump. Now he was afraid again.

But there was something else in his eyes now, too. He seemed…crushed, somehow. Rejected, perhaps. But Raven had no time to dwell on it. She had to get her mind sorted out. She stomped out of the common room, leaving Beast Boy alone with his thoughts.

Try as she might, Raven could not focus on her emotions as she made the journey towards her room. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the green changeling she had left behind. That look in his eyes haunted her. He had looked so sad; almost heartbroken. It was as if she had torn out his heart and stomped all over it. It didn't make sense. Her mind had one "possibility", but she refused to even acknowledge THAT idea, let alone consider it (she was quite certain that the attraction was not mutual).

Minutes passed, and with each step Raven felt worse and worse. She was a terrible person. As annoying as his attempts were to make her laugh or have fun, it was simultaneously the kindest thing anyone had ever done for her. And in return all she would ever do was yell at him, threaten his life, or otherwise put him down. She didn't deserve him. He deserved someone who could treat him with respect. And he needed to know that.

The hooded titan stopped right in front of her door. She looked at it, then back at the hallway. After a short contemplation, she made her decision and went back the way she came. She could deal with her emotions later. She owed Beast Boy an apology.

She found Beast Boy in the common room of the tower where she had left him. He was currently sitting on the couch staring blankly at the TV. It was off. She approached behind the couch and laid a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, and no words were exchanged. Her eyes told the story. Beast Boy's friendly smile returned, and he patted the couch cushion next to him, motioning for her to sit. He probably wanted her to watch some inane show with him. But still, something wasn't quite right. She walked around to the other side and looked from the couch to her friend.

After a moment's hesitation, she sat down and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. For the next minute or so, she must have apologized to him more than she had ever done before. By the time she finally let go of him, he was wearing that same goofy smile she was so used to. He asked her if Timid had started a rebellion in her head, and she let the smallest of smiles grace her features. His smile brightened even more at this, and she could see a hint of a sparkle in his eye. Suddenly, she was no longer confused. Finally, she knew what she wanted.

She nervously laid her hand on his, and a nearby chair toppled over. She ignored it and searched his eyes for a response. He stared back at her with the same questioning gaze before gently interlacing his fingers with hers. And then she knew.

Their lips met, and not even the exploding TV could distract them from one another.

It's amazing what a single touch can trigger. And that was why she loved it.


End file.
